The Band
by Fer Lyre
Summary: They get together to make a band, how simple can it get?


Disclaimer: No characters owned by me, and absolutely NO money made!  
  
"Ok, guys- quit messing around! Guuuuys!!!! C'mon, we really don't have that much time left!" Jess juggled a tennis ball in her hands while looking at the lazy bunch of teens spread out across the floor, firing popcorn at each other.  
  
Jon turned round in his seat, still munching on his twinkie bar. "'Course we do Jess" he mumbled, with his mouth full of choco-goodness.  
  
Jess turned and threw the tennis ball at him. "Ok, maybe I wasn't CLEAR enough"  
  
"Uh oh" Jon blocked his ears with his fingers- and Devin followed his lead: thus avoiding the full blast of the ensuing explosion.  
  
"GET OFF YOUR BIG LAZY BUTTS AND GET MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Ash and Matt scrambled up off the floor and were in position in less than a blink. Devin hastily picked his guitar up off the floor and Jon grabbed at the mike so violently that it came off the stand and clattered to the floor. Jess smiled in satisfaction: she liked running a tight ship.  
  
"Alright. From the top now"  
  
Matt groaned. This was the sixth time today that they were playing through their ENTIRE line-up. But Jess whipped around and gave him such a menacing glare, that he wisely shut up and concentrated on the beat. Jess nodded and looked back down at her mike.  
  
"Highschool, never liked it much. Simply overrated. Got the point, what's the point? See the time, what's the time? Watch your face, what's your face? NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG. I DON'T WEAR A THONG. I JUST LIKE THIS SONG. SO JUST GET IT ON. YEAH YEAAAAAH, GET IT ON. I'm sick of you. I'm sick of youUUU. Cuz you never get it on. You never geeeet iiiit ooooon. YEAH, GET IT ON BABE, JUST GET IT ON BABE, YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH."  
  
The sound of strong hands clapping their approval greeted the group at the end of the song.  
  
Jess bowed graciously. Race grinned at the five kids(three of which were suddenly feeling rather nervous).  
  
"Dinner's ready. You guys must be bushed! I've been hearing you play all day long!" "No kidding.." Devin muttered under his breath.  
  
"Well, come on down when you're ready" The four guys were quick to put their things down and scoot down. Jessie opened her mouth to protest. "He said when we're REA-" Jon covered her mouth with his hand and she bit down on it. He swiped his hand away, wincing in pain. "Uh... OW?"  
  
She humphed and stomped down the stairs to the dining room: or rather, the banquet hall, since there were so many people over for dinner. Once there, she found her mother, Matt's mom, Matt's older sister and Jon's stepmother in addition to the crowd they hauled in. She seated herself opposite her mother and Jon plonked himself down beside her. They exchanged a slightly wistful glance. Usually, it would be Hadji who sat between them- to make them stop their constant bickering for a peaceful meal. Now that he was off in MIT, taking advanced courses, they had to make do for themselves.  
  
Matt's mom leaned across the table with a warm smile. "Devin dear, I must comment on your rather dashing earring"  
  
Devin looked aside abashedly and fidgeted with the unpierced ear. Jessie looked up in interest.  
  
"Earring? What earring?"  
  
Ash looked up and spoke in a quietly amused voice. "The one he's been trying to hide from you for two weeks now" He noticeably winced in pain as he received an annonymous kick under the table.  
  
Jessie looked up in wonder. "Don't be silly... I would have seen it by now. What do you mean by two weeks? He couldn't have pierced it two weeks ago anyway. He had that ear infection and had to wear bandages..." A look of understanding dawned on her face. And was quickly replaced with indignation at being lied to.  
  
"Dev! I can't believe you'd do something like that! You know how I feel about body piercings and tattoos and stuff... oh my god, you went and got a tattoo too, didn't you?"  
  
Devin shook his head vigourously. "See, that's why I didn't let you see it. I know you hate that kinda stuff"  
  
She stared at her plate and stabbed a ravioli with her fork. "Then why'd you do it, at all?", she mumbled.  
  
Jon cleared his throat and thought of a way to change the topic. "Hey: did anyone hear the Hornet's new line-up? I hear Nell left and they got a way better bass. It's gonna hurt us at the concert"  
  
Matt picked up on the conversation. "Uh uh... they must be taking the Nell thing pretty bad. I mean, come on, he was the backbone of the group. So.. it's gotta affect them, and not in a good way"  
  
Dr. Quest tentatively poked his way into the talk. "Is that another band who's going to perform?" "Yeah dad... remember I told you how big this gig's gonna be for us. If we hit it just right, we might land ourselves a deal. But the competition's stiff. It's a state-wide thing... so we'll be up against pretty much.. the whole of Maine I'm guessing" "Kids, I've already told you that I'm willing to pitch in and get you a contract" All five teens looked up and gave him such a look that he chuckled and put his hands up guiltily. "Ok ok... I remember... no charity, no help" 


End file.
